Javelin thrower Davinder Singh Kang was let off with a reprimand by the National Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for marijuana last year, reported The Indian Express.
The 29-year-old had tested positive in May last year during the Indian Grand Prix in New Delhi. He then claimed that he had consumed thandai to get rid of excess heat in his body which had resulted in nose bleeds. Kang claimed he was unaware that marijuana was one of the ingredients in thandai.
Consuming marijuana does not result in a provisional ban, which was the reason Kang was allowed to participate in the Asian Athletics Championships in July and the world championships in August last year.
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency code, an athlete who has consumed marijuana is allowed a reprimand or a maximum sentence of two years if they are able to prove that the drug was not used for enhancing performance, the report said.
The Nada panel concluded that Kang had not consumed marijuana to boost his performance. It also said that there was no significant fault or negligence on Kang’s part, before ruling that he deserved a reprimand and should have a much higher standard of conscience, care and awareness about such things, the report said.
The panel also took note of the fact that Kang had tested positive for an anabolic steroid in February and has been provisionally suspended for it. However, the panel said that the two cases were mutually exclusive and unrelated. The test results of Kang’s ‘B’ sample are still awaited for the steroid violation. He faces a four-year ban if the ‘B’ sample also returns a positive test.